Coast Guard

The Coast Guard, one of America’s 5 military branches, conducts operations under the direction of the Department of Homeland Security. This organization is one of America’s oldest maritime organizations. The Coast Guard secures ports, enforces maritime regulations and laws, conducts search and rescue operations, and enforces environmental regulations. The Coast Guard consists of 38,000 active-duty members, 35,000 auxiliarists, and 8,000 reservists. Members of the Coast Guard can specialize in the following areas: small boat operations, aviation mechanics, maintenance, and electronic mechanics.

During a typical day, it’s not uncommon for the Coast Guard to:

Organize more than 100 search and rescue missions
Rescue 10 people
Apprehend 14 illegal immigrants
Seize large quantities of illegal drug
Assist with cleanup from oil spills and other environmental hazards
Assist boat crews with navigation problems
Launch 400 small boat operations
Inspect ships suspected of drug and weapons smuggling
Board hundreds of ships

Coast Guard Reserve

Coast Guard reservists serve together with active-duty service members. Reservists usually serve 2 days a month and 2 weeks each year at Coast Guard bases. Reservists complete training in diverse specialties, such as radio communications, mechanics, computer processing, and search and rescue. They can become a Boatswain's Mate or qualify for leadership positions and participate in various Coast Guard operations.

Coast Guard Reserve Officer Opportunities

Coast Guard reserve officers are required to hold a bachelor's degree and possess 1 year of military experience at a minimum.

Coast Guard Officer Career Opportunities

There are many ways to qualify for an officer position in the Coast Guard. Aspiring officers can finish Officer Candidate School (OCS), graduate from the Coast Guard Academy, or complete a Direct Commissioning Program recognized by it. About 300 people enroll at the Coast Guard Academy each year. After graduating following 4 years of study, graduates are commissioned as Ensigns and obtain bachelor’s degrees. Admission into the Coast Guard Academy is competitive. Graduates are required to serve on active-duty for at least 3 years.

Coast Guard Enlisted Career Opportunities

Without enlisted personnel, the Coast Guard’s daily operations could not be conducted. Numerous job opportunities are available to enlisted Coast Guard personnel. Members of the Coast Guard can specialize in aviation, ship mechanics, law enforcement, search and rescue, and various other specialties. Enlisted personnel usually receive on-the-job training, spending little time in classrooms. Enlisted personnel are required to pass frequent evaluations and tests to make sure knowledge and skills are current. Enlisted personnel can pursue the following career opportunities within the Coast Guard:

Deck & Ordnance Group
Jobs where enlisted personnel conduct operations aboard ships:

Boatswain’s Mate (BM)
Maritime Enforcement Specialist (MES)
Intelligence Specialist (IS)
Gunner’s Mate (GM)
Operation’s Specialist (OS)

Hull and Engineering Group
Jobs where enlisted personnel repair and maintain Coast Guard ships:

Electrician’s Mate (EM)
Electronics Technician (ET)
Damage Controlman (DC)
Machinery Technician (MK)
Information Systems Technician (IT)

Aviation Group
Excluding pilot jobs, the following opportunities relate to the repair and maintenance of rotary and fixed-wing aircraft utilized by the Coast Guard:

Aviation Survival Technician (AST)
Avionics Electrical Technician (AET)
Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT)

Administrative & Scientific Group
Jobs where enlisted personnel support operations, inspect coastline for environmental hazards, and treat other enlisted personnel recovering from injuries:

Health Services Specialist (HS)
Food Service Specialist (FS)
Public Affairs Specialist (PA)
Marine Science Technician (MST)
Yeoman (YN)
Storekeeper (SK)

Available Coast Guard jobs can be applied for through the following site: http://www.gocoastguard.com/get-the-answers/get-more-information/.

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